Lawyer Charged in Plot To Murder for Hire

A Montgomery County lawyer was charged yesterday with conspiracy to commit murder in a case involving the alleged offer of a $5,000 for a murder contract, according to Montgomery County police.

The lawyer, Lawrence Sperling, 36, of 3319 Tidewater Ct., Olney, was released yesterday after posting $25,000 bond, according to police. Sperling could not be reached for comment and his attorney, Donld J. Sheehy, refused to comment on the charge.

On Sept. 14 police charged Billy Ray Prevotte, 35, with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the same case, according to police spokesman Cpl. Phillip B. Caswell. Prevotte is currently being held without bail in the Montgomery County Detention Center, Caswell said.

Sperling and Prevotte allegedly conspired to murder Lawrence Johnson by offering an unidentified person a $5,000 contract to kill the man, according to police.

Police refused to say whether their informant, whom they identify as "John Doe," is the same person who was allegedly offered the contract to kill Johnson. Police said they did not know where Johnson and another co-defendant are now living.

Sperling's wife, Susan Sperling, who lives in Silver Spring claimed that Prevotte is a client of her husband and that Lawrence Sperling is "being framed."

Sperling was arrested yesterday at 10 a.m. while in his car near Route 108 and Georgia Avenue, in Olney, police said.

A neighbor of Sperling in Silver Spring who requested anonymity described him as "your typical next door neighbor, a guy like anyone else."

Sperling was employed by the law firm of Schwartzbach & Wortman, at 8400 Baltimore Blvd., College Park, until several years ago, according to Saul M. Schwartzbach, a partner of the firm.

Sperling is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on the conspiracy charge on Nov. 21 in District Court, according to police.